After more than six weeks at sea, American ocean rower Kelsey Pfendler reached Oahu, Hawaii, on July 4, setting a new speed record for the solo, unsupported row from California to Hawaii. She also became the first American woman and the youngest woman to complete the mid-Pacific crossing. Pfendler departed Monterey, California, on May 21 aboard her 21-foot Rannoch R25, Lily, carrying everything she needed for the 2,400-mile voyage. She set out to beat the existing record of 86 days, 10 hours, and five minutes, set by Lia Ditton, while also becoming the youngest and fastest woman to complete the crossing. According to Ocean Rowing, Pfendler completed the crossing in 43 days, 18 hours, and 12 minutes. She rowed 2,039 nautical miles at an average speed of 1.94 knots. Pfendler is only the third woman to complete the crossing solo. She previously rowed the route in 2024 as part of a four-woman team. Ahead of the expedition, Pfendler said her goal was: “To inspire others to challenge their own limits, pursue ambitious goals, and embrace difficult journeys that require commitment and perseverance.” She also used the expedition to raise awareness and funds for The Whale Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing health and well-being services to Grand Canyon river guides. As of July 8, she had raised more than $204,000 through Spotfund — more than four times her original $50,000 goal. In one of her last videos before landfall, Pfendler thanked her supporters. “I just want to say thank you to everyone who supported this and cared about the journey and wished me well and believed in me. I couldn’t be more grateful.” Hundreds turned out to watch Pfendler make landfall on July 4 as she arrived around 9 p.m. local time. In a video shared after reaching shore, Pfendler reflected on her homecoming. “Being back on land has been a lot of emotions for me, good and amazing, and sometimes really hard,” she said. “I didn’t expect how many people came to see me land, and also just didn’t expect all the love and appreciation I got; it was so special, but also deeply overwhelming. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who came. I know I wasn’t able to be as present as I probably would have wanted to be in most moments, but thank you for showing up for me anyway. It was very special.”